Dynamic Service Level Agreement for Cloud Computing Services

1. A method for dynamically updating a secondary service level agreement, the method performed by a primary computing server, wherein said primary computing server fulfills a primary service level agreement with a user by supplying service to the user with at least one secondary computing server, said secondary service level agreement existing dynamically between said primary computing server and said at least one secondary computing server, the method comprising: with said primary computing server, acquiring an actual usage level of a first service provided to said user, with said at least one secondary computing server, during a predetermined time period in accordance with said primary service level agreement; and with said primary computing server, dynamically modifying said secondary service level agreement with said at least one secondary computing server based on said actual usage level acquired during said predetermined time period.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, with said primary computing server, storing a preference stated by said user in connection with said primary service level agreement, wherein modifying said secondary service level agreement is performed in accordance with said preference.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said preference is one of: a limitation on fees charged, and a limitation on power consumed.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: acquiring said actual usage level of the first service provided during said predetermined period; and modifying said secondary service level agreement based on a ratio of said actual usage level to a planned service level set by said primary service level agreement; wherein a level of service under said secondary service level agreement is increased or reduced such that said an average service level, including said actual usage level, over a period specified by said primary service level agreement will more closely approximate said planned service level set by said primary service level agreement.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising: storing preference information comprising constraints on respective items of said primary service level agreement; determining a new secondary service level agreement by merging updated constraints on said items of said primary service level agreement with stored constraints on said items of said primary service level agreement; selecting, from services provided by a primary cloud and a secondary cloud, a second service that satisfies said determined new secondary service level agreement on the basis of said preference for service selection in said primary service level agreement.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising determining whether said stored constraints on said items of said primary service level agreement have been updated.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: storing a service list comprising information for identifying available services in association with service levels; extracting additional services comprising a service level that satisfies said secondary service level agreement based on said stored service list; and selecting one of said additional services based on said stored preference for service selection in said primary service level agreement.

8. A cloud computing system comprising: a processor; and a memory communicatively coupled to said processor, said processor configured to: fulfill a primary service level agreement with a user by supplying service to the user with at least one secondary computing server, a secondary service level agreement existing dynamically between said computing system and said at least one secondary computing server; acquire an actual usage level of a first service provided to a user during a predetermined time period in accordance with said primary service level agreement; and modify said secondary service level agreement based on said actual usage level acquired during said predetermined time period.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein said processor is further configured to store a preference stated by said user in connection with said primary service level agreement, wherein modifying said secondary service level agreement is performed in accordance with said preference.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein said preference is one of: a limitation on fees charged, and a limitation on power consumed.

11. The cloud system of claim 8 , wherein said processor is further configured to: acquire said actual usage level of the first service provided during said predetermined period; and modify said secondary service level agreement based on a ratio of said actual usage level to a planned service level set by said primary service level agreement; wherein a level of service under said secondary service level agreement is increased or reduced such that said an average service level, including said actual usage level, over a period specified by said primary service level agreement will more closely approximate said planned service level set by said primary service level agreement.

12. The cloud system of claim 9 , wherein said processor is further configured to: store preference information comprising constraints on respective items of said primary service level agreement; determine a new secondary service level agreement by merging updated constraints on said items of said primary service level agreement with stored constraints on said items of said primary service level agreement, select, from services provided by a primary cloud and a secondary cloud, a second service that satisfies said determined new secondary service level agreement on the basis of said preference for service selection in said primary service level agreement.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein said processor is further configured to determine whether said stored constraints on said items of said primary service level agreement have been updated, wherein said modifying said secondary service level agreement is triggered by an update to said stored constraints.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein said process is further configured to: store, in said memory, a service list comprising information for identifying available services in association with service levels; extracts additional services comprising a service level that satisfies said secondary service level agreement based on said stored service list; and select one of said additional services based on said stored preference for service selection in said primary service level agreement.

15. A computer program product for dynamically updating a secondary service level agreement for use of a cloud computing system, wherein a primary computing server fulfills a primary service level agreement with a user by supplying service to the user with at least one secondary computing server, said secondary service level agreement existing dynamically between said primary computing server and said at least one secondary computing server, said computer program product comprising: a computer readable storage memory having computer readable code embodied therewith, said computer readable program code comprising: computer readable program code configured to store a preference for service selection entered by said user; computer readable program code configured to acquire an actual usage level of a first service provided to said user during a predetermined time period in accordance with said primary service level agreement; computer readable program code configured to dynamically modify said secondary service level agreement based on said actual usage level acquired during said predetermined time period and said preference for service selection.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein modifying said secondary service level agreement comprises changing which secondary computing server is selected to provide service for said primary computing server to said user.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 , further comprising: computer readable program code configured to acquire said actual usage level of the first service provided during said predetermined period; and computer readable program code configured to modify said secondary service level agreement based on a ratio of said actual usage level to a planned service level set by said primary service level agreement; wherein a level of service under said secondary service level agreement is increased or reduced such that said an average service level, including said actual usage level, over a period specified by said primary service level agreement will more closely approximate said planned service level set by said primary service level agreement.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 , further comprising: computer readable program code configured to store preference information comprising constraints on respective items of said primary service level agreement; computer readable program code configured to determine a new secondary service level agreement by merging updated constraints on said items of said primary service level agreement with stored constraints on said items of primary service level agreement; computer readable program code configured to select, from services provided by a primary cloud and a secondary cloud, a second service that satisfies a modified secondary service level agreement on the basis of a preference for service selection in said primary service level agreement.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 , further comprising computer readable program code configured to determine whether said stored constraints on said items of said primary service level agreement have been updated.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 , further comprising: computer readable program code configured to store a service list comprising information for identifying available services in association with service levels; computer readable program code configured to extracts additional services comprising a service level that satisfies said secondary service level agreement based on said stored service list; and computer readable program code configured to select one of said additional services based on a stored preference for service selection in said primary service level agreement.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying said secondary service level agreement comprises changing which secondary computing server is selected to provide service for said primary computing server to said user.

22. The method of claim 2 , further comprising: receiving user input updating said preference; and in response to receiving said user input updating said preference, modifying said secondary service level agreement in accordance with said updated preference.